Prevent
What is the Prevent Strategy?
· Prevent is a government strategy designed to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorist or extremist causes.
· The Prevent strategy covers all types of terrorism and extremism, including the extreme right wing, violent Islamist groups and other causes.
How does the Prevent strategy apply to schools?
· From July 2015 all schools, as well as other organisations, have a duty to safeguard children from radicalisation and extremism.
· This means we have a responsibility to protect children from extremist and violent views the same way we protect them from any other harm.
· Importantly, we can provide a safe place for learners to discuss these issues, at an appropriate level so they better understand how to protect themselves.
What does this mean in practice at Wootton Park School?
Building resilience in our young people while incorporating our core values of kindness, respect, positivity, teamwork, and responsibility, as well as British Values, is at the heart of preventing radicalisation. We do this by providing a safe place in which learners can discuss issues and where we aim to give them the knowledge and confidence to challenge extremist beliefs and ideologies.
We will also protect young people from the risk of radicalisation, for example by using filters on the internet to make sure they can’t access extremist and terrorist material, or by vetting visitors who come into school to work with learners.
Isn’t my child too young to learn about extremism?
The Prevent strategy is not just about discussing extremism itself, which may not be appropriate for younger children. It is also about teaching children core values and mutual respect. This is what we will focus on at Wootton Park School
The school will make sure any discussions are suitable for the age and maturity of the learners involved.
Is extremism really a risk in our area?
Extremism can take many forms, including political, religious and misogynistic extremism. Some of these may be a bigger threat in our area than others.
We will endeavour to give children the skills to protect them from any extremist views they may encounter, now or later in their lives.
Further information
Please do not hesitate to contact the school If you have any questions or concerns about the Prevent Strategy and what it means for your child. Please contact the DSL on: j.page@woottonparkschool.org.uk
The school may also contact the Police Prevent Team for advice and guidance Email:
prevent@northants.pnn.police.uk or Telephone 101 ext. 341166.
We may also call the national police Prevent advice line 0800 011 3764, in confidence, to share any concern with specially trained officers.
The Department for Education also has dedicated a telephone helpline (020 7340 7264) where you can raise concerns relating to extremism directly. Concerns can also be raised by email to counter.extremism@education.gsi.gov.uk.
Please note that the helpline is not intended for use in emergency situations, such as a child being at immediate risk of harm or a security incident.
In an emergency situation calls should always be made to 999.
Key Terms
External sources - The following sources may also be useful for further information:
CONTEST The United Kingdom's Strategy for Countering Terrorism 2023
Prevent duty guidance: Guidance for specified authorities in England and Wales
